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Budget Friendly Modern Farmhouse Kitchen Update

I’ve turned a boring builder grade kitchen into a modern farmhouse style kitchen with this modern farmhouse kitchen update.

Is there an area in your home that you HATE? An area that you’re really not fond of spending too much time in because it’s just flat out ugly? For me this was my kitchen. I needed to update at least a few of the surfaces to break up the brown, but I had a $3500 budget. This barely covered the cost of granite.  What was I going to do?  I was going to research the most BUDGET FRIENDLY MODERN FARMHOUSE KITCHEN UPDATE ideas and decide which ones we could use.

Modern Farmhouse Kitchen update for under $4k before and after

My kitchen was a sea of brown;  brown countertops, brown tile, brown cabinets, you get the point. With 85 square feet of counter top (FYI this is a lot), I didn’t know if we could even afford to make any changes. Here are a few before pics so you can get a visual;

ugly kitchen before budget update
builder grade kitchen before modern farmhouse update

After calling a few contractors to get quotes, I thought if we purchased the cheapest granite, we might have a chance at an affordable KITCHEN REMODEL.

Key points for Modern Farmhouse Kitchen Update

  • white backsplash; could be tile, shiplap, or any type of wood
  • solid surface countertop; I really wanted marble, but I knew it wasn’t in the budget
  • change the color of the cabinets
  • update the fixtures, plumbing and hardware
  • remove the “step up bar” and make one solid surface bar area

Could I do all this for under five thousand dollars? YES! I did it for under four thousand actually.

I was thrilled when I  found a contractor that would install the lowest grade of granite for $3200. He also added the removal of the step up bar in the cost!  

This modern farmhouse kitchen is a possibility!

Replacing the laminate counters with granite

Because I painted the whole house in a light grayish blue or grey tone, I knew I needed to choose a granite to “tie” the kitchen in with the rest of the colors.

I chose a color called SANTA CECILIA LIGHT. This was the lowest grade granite (the only one that fit the budget), but quite frankly, I couldn’t tell the difference between the different grades.

Here is what the bar looked like after they removed the counter tops and cut the bar top down:

kitchen after step up countertop had been removed
kitchen after step up countertop had been removed

Next comes the granite…

kitchen with new granite countertop installed

I was thrilled with the NEW GRANITE, but I had a freak out moment because the rest of my kitchen was still ugly, boring, and BROWN.  I HAD to find a way to get rid of the brown WITHOUT spending a lot.

I really wanted a brick backsplash, but after pricing it, I was discouraged…still too expensive. Then I had an AHA moment.

Adding a bead board backsplash

Pinterest is crawling with inspiration where BEAD BOARD was used as a BACKSPLASH.

After looking into it, I could cover ALL the panels you see in the picture above with bead board AND use it as a backsplash too for about $100! YAYYYY it’s a winner.

Side note; I hired this job out. We thought about doing it ourselves but it didn’t cost too much in labor. See all the cost details below.

Here’s a sneak peak of how it looks.

modern farmhouse kitchen with bead board back splash

Last thing I did was paint the kitchen Island white and the rest of the cabinets gray.

Side note: I used two different methods to paint the gray and the white, and I’ve given my two cents on each method in my post ‘a year in review of how I painted my laminate kitchen cabinets.’

A year in review of my painted laminate cabinets

Cost breakdown of this budget modern farmhouse kitchen update:

  • $3200 granite install and removal of old countertop with bar cut down- this included new sink and new faucet
  • $100 bead board
  • $350 Install of bead board
  • $50 new hardware
  • $100 paint

$3800 TOTAL! I know my budget was $3500, but the BEAD BOARD install was a little more than expected. Either way, I’m thrilled to have a “new kitchen.”

Final reveal of my affordable modern farmhouse kitchen update

You can see more of the DIY Industrial Pendant Light makeover above the sink.

You might be interested in the DIY Board and Batten off the hallway next to the kitchen.

I was pleased to create an almost new kitchen for under four thousand dollars. Sometimes it takes a little research and creativity, but you really can update something old and outdated on a budget.

Thanks for stopping by. Let me know what you think of our new kitchen.

Lindsey**

p.s. The new appliances were purchased courtesy of our insurance after our house was hit by a big bolt of lightening.  Sometimes good things do come out of bad circumstances!

p.p.s I get asked this a lot; the wall color in the kitchen (and all three of my bathrooms) is called Silver Mink by Benjamin Moore.

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  1. Alex Sutton says:

    Your kitchen turned out amazing! And I love the fact that you were able to do it for under $4,000. I’ve been in a similar boat, where I would love to update my kitchen, but just don’t have the budget for anything too extensive. If I could do something similar to this and have it turn out even half as good, I’ll be happy! Thanks for sharing!

  2. Allie says:

    Looks great! Question about your microwave over the range, does it vent to outdoors, or just out the top into your kitchen? We are in the process of updating our kitchen and replacing appliances, and we have the staggered cabinet with microwave over the range similar to the cabinet layout you have. Our current microwave vents out the front at the top, so I’m trying to figure out if getting a new microwave that vents out the top will mean that we have to bump out the front of the microwave even further than the staggered cabinet. I’m not sure how that would look. Hope this makes sense!

    • Hi Allie,
      no the microwave doesn’t vent outdoors. I know most of those microwaves that vent from the front just “blow air around” they don’t really vent so I would ask the appliance people if you are looking to get one that vents differently.

  3. Sarah says:

    Wow, this kitchen transformation is stunning- it doesn’t even look like the same room! I got my kitchen cabinets redone by a local cabinet refinisher last year and used a similar paint color as you- it goes with everything!

  4. […] I redesigned our kitchen in our modern farmhouse builder grade home, I decided to do away with the “step up” bar. I was so happy I did this.  I feel like a counter height bar is more functional, especially […]

  5. Syed says:

    Thank you, I got lots of idea from your post. It’s helping me a lot. Thank you Again.

  6. […] Below is an updated view of my kitchen since I’ve painted my laminate cabinets. If you want to see more details on this entire kitchen renovation on a major budget click HERE. […]

  7. […] Don’t ever give up thinking you can’t make your dream design come true because of budget. Shop around and ask around, there is always a budget friendly solution. I completely renovated my last kitchen (and it was a big one) for under $4,000. […]

  8. […] Budget-Friendly Modern Farmhouse Kitchen Update from repurposeandupcycle.com […]

  9. Holly says:

    AMAZING job for such a small budget!

  10. […] go back to where this all began.  When we were updating our outdated kitchen (see more details HERE), I knew I wouldn’t be happy with the new granite unless I changed the look of the cabinets. […]

  11. […] If you want to see my entire kitchen update for less than $4 K click HERE.  […]

  12. Michele says:

    WOW!!!!!! Well done – your kitchen looks amazing – I cannot even believe it is the same kitchen. Holy smokes you gotta be happy! Whoo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  13. […] To see more of my modern farmhouse kitchen update click HERE. […]

  14. firebirdwife says:

    Such an amazing transformation!! I love it and would love my kitchen to look like this. I love all the white and gray…so bright and cheery! I am going to pin this for later. Thanks for sharing at the Friday at the Fire Station link-up!

  15. […] Budget Friendly Modern Farmhouse Kitchen Update by Repurpose and Upcycle […]

  16. This makeover is AWESOME! Thanks for linking it up to Dagmar’s Home link party. I wish you would have linked to the party – I would have loved to feature you! I hope you’ll link up again.

  17. Patty Gordon says:

    I love the mug organizer. I think I need to get one of those. I have way too many cups in the cabinets and I NEVER seem to use them all. They are collectibles though so I wouldn’t want to get rid of them.

    This is such a great makeover. Anytime you can lighten a kitchen I think it’s a good thing. We have black granite and dark cherry cabinets. I didn’t pick them. They are ok, but I wish it was brighter in the kitchen.

    Thanks so much for posting this on the fandayfriday link party!

  18. […] kitchen transformation from Repurpose and Upcycle is AH-MAZING!  She has me itching to start painting my kitchen cabinets!  Just […]

  19. What a great job, it looks beautiful. I can imagine how much you love it. It looks great. Looks like so much more light too. Thanks so much for sharing your amazing kitchen over at Creative Mondays last week. You are one of my features this week 🙂

  20. It turned out beautifully, thanks for sharing with our Pretty Pintastic Party.

  21. Beautiful kitchen makeover Lindsey, you can’t go wrong in white for an update it’s timeless. I did the beadboard backsplash in mine too, I love how you tied yours in with the cabinetry. Thanks for sharing your project at #FridaysFurnitureFix!

  22. cyndeekromminga says:

    That looks fantastic! I recently re-did my kitchen and re-painted my cabinets white. I love how much brighter the room feels.~~Cyndee@RestyledJunk

  23. You did an amazing job…and for a bargain price! I need you to come take a look at my kitchen and take it on! I have the same problem as you, except instead of brown, everything is white. Maybe that isn’t quite as bad as brown. You do have very pretty cabinets, are they real wood? Mine have that thermo-foil finish on them, so I am going to have to do some research before painting. Oh, and my step-up bar…it is higher than normal, even bar stools are too short for it! Who designs these houses in the first place, right?

    • Thank you! Yes my cabinets are a cheap laminate or melamine, not sure which. Either way I’m so happy with the paint job. You can do a lot with White cabinets! Maybe new hardware can spruce it up?
      Lindsey

  24. This is one beautiful makeover! Thank you for sharing with us at Funtastic Friday Pinned 🙂

  25. Lindsey I’m glad to see everyone is all right after the lightening. Your kitchen looks incredible. Paint really is the great magic hope for all of us.

  26. tinmccarthy says:

    popping in from #fanfriday

  27. Very pretty! I’ve been longing to paint our kitchen cabinets for a while, but just haven’t had the motivation/time. Thanks so much for sharing at the #happynowlinkup!

  28. […] Budget Friendly Modern Farmhouse Kitchen Update by Repurpose And Upcycle […]

  29. tinmccarthy says:

    I know from my own experiences that you out a heck of a lot of work into this! It definitely paid off. Beautiful job!

  30. This turned out lovely! I love how much the space is brightened up feels so inviting. Great job!

  31. Amazing makeover for this space. We did an all white kitchen and put beadboardon the ceiling because of ‘issues’ there. And we love it. I think you will be in love with this space, forever. Grins, Sandi

  32. Sandra Garth says:

    Oh my goodness, we’re talking night and day, this is gorgeous. Happy cooking! Thank you for sharing with us this week at Celebrate Your Story, have a great week and a Happy Holiday.

  33. Summer says:

    Holy Crap, it looks amazing! I want to high five you right now! UGH the power of paint! It’s real!! You did such a great job:)

    http://www.raisingafarmhouse.com

  34. Your kitchen turned out fabulous! Y’all did a great job.

  35. I love love love the transformation! And the bead board was the perfect idea! Seriously beautiful!

  36. Kristina1025 says:

    Visiting from Wined Down Wednesday. I woud like to have granite counter tops too. Thanks for the inspiration of making it affordable.

  37. JoAnne says:

    You did an amazing job, Lindsey. Your kitchen is beautiful and I’m so impressed that you did it on such a small budget!

  38. I love the new granite countertops Lindsey! I had a good laugh when you said you couldn’t tell the difference between the grades of granite (totally something I would be thinking too). I also love the contrast of the dark handles against the light cabinets 🙂 xx

  39. Leanna says:

    Fantastic job. My other half is having a hard time with painting our cabinets. Your post is going to help show him what can be accomplished. Love your makeover. Pinning

  40. Your house was hit by lightning?!? How scary, but new appliances are a good reward! Your update is beautiful. We did a complete kitchen and dining renovation in 2015, and could have saved so much money if we could have painted our cabinets. Yours look so professional, and you avoided so much dust and mess! Well done 🙂

  41. What an awesome transformation! Our kitchen has almost the exact same layout and I gave it a budget makeover but just painted our countertops. After seeing how your granite looks with removing the step I want to look into doing the same!

    • thanks Angela. FYI I’m getting ready to do a faux granite blog post with a new product I’m super excited about. Check back in a couple weeks and check it out! It’s cheap and looks sooooo real.

  42. Gorgeous! I love it. So much brighter. My kitchen was all orange-y brown. Bead board style paneling, plain cabinets, counters that are supposed to look like wood. Awful. I painted the cabinets white and spray painted the black hardware silver. The walls and backsplash are now blue. Counters are the same. It’s just a temporary fix until we can afford a full reno. Yours has given me inspiration. 🙂 #HappyNow

  43. Lauren Kim says:

    Your kitchen looks great! I recently painted my cabinets white and would love to find an inexpensive granite. Thanks for sharing at Creative Corner!

    • Thanks Lauren! FYI I’m getting ready to do a faux granite blog post with a new product I’m super excited about. Check back in a couple weeks and check it out! It’s cheap and looks sooooo real.

  44. like Sara...but with a d says:

    Your kitchen came out beautifully! We are in the middle of DIYing our entire house. (We may have bit off more than we can chew), and I am looking for all the design ideas I can find 🙂

  45. JESS44903 says:

    Wow…this looks so pretty!! 🙂

    I would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/

    Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!

  46. JaneEllen Jones says:

    I love your kitchen, is gorgeous, so clean and light looking, the granite is incredible. Have to admit to certain degree of envy, ok, alot of envy. Looks so open, great idea having that peninsula cut down, gives more room. Sure do have lots of cabinets, lucky girl. Amazing ho we manage to fill them isn’t it?
    We have single wide mfg.. home which I don’t like kitchen at all. Talk about lots of brown, vinyl covered cabinets, ugh. And awful cheapy counter tops, really ugh. Previous owner was very hard on kitchen and not clean person at all. So am sure you can understand why your new kitchen would be source of envy, lol. Keep hoping someday to get new counter tops, before I croak that is, no youngster here.
    Enjoy your new kitchen, it is wonderful.

    • Thank you so much for your sweet words, they mean a lot. So believe it or not, If I could design my own kitchen, it would have about half this much counter space, and half the cabinets. I never thought I would say this but it’s A LOT to clean and we don’t use half the cabinets. I guess it’s nice to have them, but I’m more of a function person (If you don’t need it, get rid of it). We always want what we don’t have right!

  47. Your kitchen has almost the same layout as mine except my island goes the other direction! And my kitchen was done in all dark colors like yours. We just redid our counter tops last summer! I love the way you got rid of the step-up bar – wish we had thought of that! Now I just have to get rid of my dark cabinets. Thanks for the post on how to do that!

  48. satrntgr says:

    Wow – that turned out beautifully!! I love that style. 🙂 Thank you for the tips.

  49. Coombe Mill says:

    Oh my goodness, what a transformation, this is brilliant! #CreativeMondays

  50. What a beautiful kitchen! Nice re-do. 🙂

  51. helenfern says:

    Nice job!! Some great, inspiring ideas here! Thanks for sharing at the Pleasures of the NW’s DIY Party!

  52. Great job! thanks for sharing on craft schooling sunday!

  53. Awesome makeover! It’s unbelievable how much difference it makes to paint all the cabinetry. It lightens up the whole space and makes it so much more spacious.